Syrup-filler for fruit-cans.



s. PITTALUGA SYRUP -FILLBR POR FRUIT CANS.'

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1912. 1,072,771. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Z'SHEETS-SHEET l.

l S. PITTALUGA. suur fPILLER PoR FRUIT cANs.

- lAPPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1912. I 1,072,771; Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET'Z.

" @Ermanarran-silbern s'rEANo PITTALUGA, (iF-Los ANGELES', oALIFORNIA.

sYRUP-FILLR' ron' FRUIT-eens.

To allipizm thai/concern.' l A Be it known .that lI, 'STEFANO PrrfrAnUG/i, a sub'ectof the' King of Italy, having del cla-re 'my .intention of becomingacitizen of.

tlie'U'ni't'ed States, residing at.4 os'Ang'eles, inthe coutyo ,Losin'geles and State ofl -California. have invented a new and y useful Syrup-Fil ei'- for Fruit-Cans, of-i'vhich the' with.

Syrup 'or liquor to the exact amount requied l to pitopertly .lill the geen, practically whereby thework may .beperforined with structed.

gleatrpidiffy The. Vinventi on comprises a .machine adapted to operate simultaneously upona plurality 'of cans, receiving the cansat 'one place', moving them 4in train and delivering thfn from the machine at'an'o'ther place, the

liqfujor 'or syrup being 'introduced into 'the Vanother in" the vposition Where the iiow of' liquid to the can has. just commenced and the .third in the position. wherethe 'flow is just about to .stop 'as the cliaigei'j'sare revolved. The other five chargers and portions of the apparatus are broken' away for .clearness of illustration, 'Fig 2is afragmentalelevation viewed from-.the frontof Fig. v1",fomitting the saine chargeisas in Fig. 1. Fig.' 3- is aw-'frajglne'ntal elevation partly in section showing alican charger ztogether' with 'a fragment-of the revolving :trame upon which it is mounted. 'Parts are shown in normal closedlposition. "Fig 4 is a fragmentalelevation mainly in axial section on line fmt-m5,' Figs 3,6 and 7, with 'parte in the normalclosed osition.- A p a'rl tially-fil'led fruit can is sho in position to reeive .a chili-,12e of "Fig, is a View' specification of Letersrate'nt.

' the charger 4chamber online m8,'Fi s, 'a11d 7, illustrating the Valve seat an out et.

raised to va'ctua'te the parts to thereby'jopen' -the-syrup charger. -F ig. 6 is a'plan View ratentedsepaaieia. g o applicati@ ined Agist 5, `1.912. serialNo. 713,472. l

' they assume when the partiallyfilled canis-` partly in section, viewed from irregularline w, Fig-4. Fig 7 is a plan section from irregular line-wl, Fig. 4".y A portion of the'. Ivalve'is broken aivay to expose the seat.- lFig. 8 is a detached fmgiriental section 'of `5 The rotary' syrup reservoir lis mounted soy' centrally on the rotary shaft 2 that is .driven by afpulley 3 and belt 4, and saidgre'servoir is connected by syrup pipes 5 with open-ended charger shells .6 that are rigidly connected to the rotary shaft- -by thesupport `duced portions Sto 'formi-shoulders 9 Valve chambers'li). and are provided with nozzles 1 1' at their lower 'ends ;'."said valve ..7 and areA preferably constructed with re-f.

12nd syrup ports 13, andthe nozzles withA i latral andvertical ai'r vente 14 and 1.5; the

- In eachv of the chargers there Vprovided a valve 416.' for closing the valve seat. Said valve .is vmounted on a hollow valve stem 1.7

-Which extends above'andbelovv the valve 16 yand communicatesvviththe airvent-s to conduct the airfrom 'the interior of the canto the atmospheric air; the upper end of the valve. stem 17 being pivotally' connected .by a c1oss h e'a.d"18 and pins 19 with levernieans comprising two levers 20 supported by their fulcrums 2l on opp'ositesides oft-he cliargeiff, shell 6;'.said levers being ,of the ythirdclass .se 'i and each:comprising a long armo betvve'en the valve' stern and the pivot 22 v vhich-s'upfr 'ports the connecting rod; 2'3, and 'ashort arm I) between said pivot .22.' and thffi.;

connected by vadjusting nuts 24, 25ywit-h facol-lar- 2 6 that is ,in shdabie relation tothecharger shell and isprovided atit'slovver..

e'lid Wi'tha can'v closure' 27 which' isf adapted toseal the can against overliowduingthe -tillin'g action, said closure having on 'its' lower side --a practically lnon'-absoibei'it 105'Y yielding gasket 28 that may be of soft rubberv v suchcan top is'b'rought upward therea'g'ain'st for the' purpose 'of il'lg.

crum., Thefconnecting rods 23 offsaidf le? -vers extend downwardly' and are 4adjustaloly .Y

ico I 75. chambers being Yprovided with valvese'ats nor The leverage between the valve stem and the eonnectmg rod 1s preferably about 1 to '3, so that t-he movement of the valve stemA relative to the valve seat may be three times greater than the movement o'f the closure relativer to the charging-shell. i

4 On the nozzle l1 is screwed an air vented syrup orvliquor spreader Q9, there being large syrup dischargingports 13 above said -spreader andfaround the lower extension of the valve stem which closely fits .a central bore 30 in thenozzle and slides past the lateral air ports 14 to open the same as the- 'Acan closure 27 and collar 2G are moved up from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that ot Fig.' and the valve is thus raised from the valve'seat. Said liquid spreader is detachable; and spreader p'lates of various sizes.

not shown, are provided 'with corresponding centrally-threaded oritces` 3'1 to screwl ontoy the nozzle and also provided'with vertical vent syrup'ports 32 and lateral and vertical ai;` p ports 33, 34 to allow airl to .escape from the .can into the atmosphere, Said plates are detachable for the purpose of.allo\ vingpthe apparatus' to be adapted to cans of different' diameter, different sized spreader plates not shown, being used t'orr different sized cans. The interchangeability of these .various sized spreading plates has another very im-l portantfeature, however. .These plates also serve as displacing means which proJect m'to the can4 during the filling operation so that the can may be filled'while in contact with the rubber gasket or closure 28. lVheu the can is lowered away from vthe gasket and spreader plate, the syrup '.lls the 4can to exactly the correct amount,l so as to allow i for proper .sealing and other con'ditionsjto which the can is subsequently subject.A Each sized can requiring particular displacement` it is very valuable to have the spreader plate or displacingl means easily detachable 4from the charger so that when the running is changed from one sized' canto another sized canat is merely ,necessary to unscrew the v former displacing,- or spreading means andl replace such means for the particular can next to be run. Other forms ot connections equivalent to screw connections' 1nay, of course, be, used, this being immaterial so .long as the connection may be easilyl and -quiekly' effected; The capacity thus acquired by applcants machine for handling' cans of different kinds and capacit-ies `gives it a great advantage 'over the other machines which are now :used'inlarge scale canningl estab- The-collar. 2G is cylindricalan-d is pro- Vided'at its lower end with a contraction 85 to it'the reduced portion-8; and a chamber .36 is'jforrned between the collar 2G and the reduced portion 'S to Vreceive a spring which may'preferably 'be a soft rubber ring 37 supported between a seat 3S formed m the or plates'tQ are fixed ou the tops of can-` supporting standards 43,' each of which is provided with a supportingwheel 441. Said posts are pivttally conuccted respectively by parallel motion links t? with knuckles 4G on the .rotary shat't: there being guides 47 havrng seats 418 to support the-parallel links '45 at the lower terminals of the cam portions of the track. Said guides and shoulto the Vrotary shat'tQ.

' The knuckles 46 are adjustahly fixed tothe ders are mounted on a bracket 49 also fixed may be placed at a desired level to accommodate thel height ot the cans to be operated on.A

The can-sllppo'rting plates 42 arefequal in number-to and arev supported axially beneath the shellsA respectively, and each spacedapart from its shell a considerable distance belowl the closure, to allow the can 5l to be inserted, into'the space when' the parallel motionlinks 'are supported by the supporting shoulders 4S and the rise 40 of the cam track is sutlicient to cause the can to close such distance and to contact with the closure and force the collar up, thereby raising the valve stem, opening the valve and allowing; the syrup or liquid contained in the'sl'iell to tlow down into tlie can. The air 'vents allow the air contained in the can to escape to make room for the liquid and as the can moves ayound abovethe track the liquid tills the eatin' excepting the space that is occupied by the spijt-ader plate. and nozzle.4 lVhcn the supporting; roller reaches the lmveriug cam track section 4l 'the can supporting plate is lmvered` t'nus allmviugthe closure alul' valve stem and valve to descend,

rthus closing the valve seat and the lateral an: vents 14; and the can is withdrawn vfrom the closure vand is free to b c removed from the supporting plate.

A\.s'the shaft 2 rotates the can tables are periodically moved toward and from the chargers by ymeans ot' the caln track and the standard 'wheels 4.4 running thereon.

The cans are respectively released as the standard wheels enter the space between the sections t0 and 41. The can-'nary thereupon be removed by automatic.A means, not shown, or by hand as desired and another can put ii`i"its place by automatic means, not shmvn,

Vor by hand; whereupon the process is recomprising i rotary shaft by set collarsO, so that they ioo peated with such other can,` it beingunder I stood that in'the meanwhile each of the can-supporting plates of the entire machine has passedl from the position shown at thlel with vent ports 52 that'are protected by a hood 53,'so that in case the .upperendof thel tubular xfalve stem should becomestopped there'would still be freervent through rthe ports 52. 'The said ports and h'o'od are esv `pecially useful, however, in permitting syrup Awhich is accidentally sucked upward through'vent 17 to escape through said ports. back in to the charger 6 rather .than through the normal air outlet' at the'upper end of vent 17. By this means the syrup 'is' saved and the .exterior of the machineis spared from the untidy and smeared appearance l which would. follow if the 'syrup were thrown out through the normal air outlet.- j 2 5'. The operation of' the apparatus will be understood from the' foregoing. l As the shaft 2 'rotates' the supporting wheels 44 of the standards successively'pass from lthe open space between the ends of the cam and ride rst up the cam v40 tothe level intermediate portion 89 of the cam thus forcing the topof the can against the. closure, t us raising the same slightly and'consequently' the valveto greater extent so that'the syrup Hows-into thecan andfills it while (the standard is'ridi'ngVY over the level' portion 39 of the cam. When the standard j descends the lowering camsection' 41 the closure and valve" automatically descends 40 under gravity and pressure of the spring 37..

The spreader extends below the level of the gasket and as it withdraws from the can, thesyrup sinks down 'in' the can to give room for expansion when the contents ofthe Can is heated. -In this sense the spreader is intended to represent broadly vany displacing means whatsoever which may proj ect into the can during the .filling operation. When'the standard roller again entcrsthe open space 'between the ends of the cam, the can; may be removed and replaced with an emptycan.

The work: thus proceeds, a train of cans' being in course 'of filling at all times while the apparatus is moving.

I claim 1. In a syrup liller for cans, the ycombination of a relatively stationary charger equipped' with awalve seat vat its lower ,end and having a `syrup discharge opening through said valve seat, a relatively movable sleeve surrounding said charger and guided by same, said sleeve being adapted to slide' -upwardfand ,downward on said charger and.

said' sleeve having an annular'l gasket on its @5 flower face adapted to form a can-closure, al

rounding said charger and- 'said valve seat of the charger,l and link 4stationary charger having a' valve seat near l stationary charging vessel formed with amo 'gasket being o relatively movablevalve-rod extending down through said charger, thelower 'end of said.

l.xfaflvsjarod carry-ing. a 'valve'y adapted to co-r operate with.l said valve .seat in the charger, a' syrup spreader' below said opening through said valve-seat, and link means connect-ing said sleevewith the upper end of said valve rod so'that said valve maybe raised oi said' seat'when saidlsleeve is raised.i y l 2. In a syrup' filler-for cans,'a relatively 75' stationary cyllndrical charger having. a-

[smaller cylindrical portion at'its lowerend,

a valve seat on the lower end of said charger. and a- -syrup di'scharge'openin through .said valve'seat, a relatively mova le sleeve sur' guided by same,l said sleevej'surrounding said charger adjacent lthe smaller cylindrical vportion of same and adapted to form a closed annular chamber around said smaller cylindrical portion, resilient means in saidchamber and adapted to normally urgesaid sleeve V downward, said sleevealso carrying'an annular gasket on its lower end, said gasket being adapted to form a caniclosure', a relatively movablev valve'rod extending through saidcharger, said-valve rod carrying a'valve on its lower end adapted to'coperate with means connecting'said sleeve with theupper endof said valve rod so that saiil-valvel is raised off said seat when saidsleeve is raised'.l s

3. In a syrup filler for cans-, .a relatively its lower end anda' syrup discharge opeing passing 'through 'said valve seat, a'lrelatively movable sleeve' surrounding said charger and guided by same, said sleeve carrying an annular gasket on its lower end, said vgasket being adapted toform a canclosure, a relatively movable valve rod eX- tending down through said charger, said 4valve rod carrying avalve n ear its Vlower'end,

said valve 'being adapted to coperate with '110 said valve seat, said valve rod-at its upper -end'being pivotally connected with arms, I vwhich arms arealso connected .by pins to said stationary chargenand'rods connecting". saidmovable sleeve with said arms so that said valve. may beraised ot'fsaid valve seat on the charger whenl'said sleeve is raised.

4. In a syrup filler -for cans, arelatively A.discharge opening passlng through lsai valve-seat, a. relatively movable sleeve' carrying ,an annular fgasket on-.its lower end, said 125 substantial Aannular width so as to serve as a can-closure for cans' of various sizes, avalve cooperating with-the valve `seat on the charger,sa,id valve bein operablewhen said can-closuro'is move, 130

and removable displacing means separate from and independent of the foregoing elements, said displacing means having a screwconnection with the scieiv threaded projection of said chai-ger so that. different sized displacing means iiiay be mounted onto said projection 'foi' the different sized cans which ,said syrup filler is adapted to lill, said diS- cliaige upeiiiig lhi'ougli sai-d lValve seat beingv 'dii-eclid -doivii toward said displacing 29th day of J lily, 1912.

means so thatl the latter also serves as a STEFAN() PITTALUGA.

Iii presence 0i;

JAMES R. 'l0\vNsi-iNi L Biirinii RICE.' 

